Stringed musical instrument



Jan. 1, 1929.

' I J. H.. LARGE STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. 23, 1923 COOOCCG N m M 1mm 7 Q k m kw w @N .n .nN R \N am \h mm INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 1, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. LARGE, 0F CALDWELL, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0

INTERNATIONAL MUSICAL CORPORATION, OF

PORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

JERsEYcrrY, NEW JERSEY, A con s'rzanvenn MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Application 'filed August 23, 1923.

This invention has reference to a portable instrument adapted to be supported by the user thereof. I

It is an object of the present invention to construct a device of the character stated, adapted to be mastered for playing without a great amount of study.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an instrument upon which an operator may perform, to render sustained melody tones as well as percussion chords, the former being accomplished for example by the use of a bow, while the latter are produced preferably by a plectrum action.

A still further object of this invention is that of furnishing an instrument in which, as aforestated, certaintones may be rendered by bowing and-which instrument will be so constructed as to afford a guiding medium for the how so as to prevent inharmonic" sounds being rendered by an unskilled player.

Another object is that of furnishing an instrument which will embrace a relatively economical form of construction, and which will be adaptable to quantity production without however, sacrificing either resonance or quality of tone. 1

Still another object of the invention is that ofproviding a system or method of playing an'instrument so that the user thereof may readily master the same.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the 7 features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of instru- 'ment embodying the improved construction of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional side view thereof, taken along the lines 2-2 and in the direction of the arrows indicated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional Serial No. 658,861.

harmonious sounds on the part of an instrument.

Referring now to the drawing, 10 denotes the body of the instrument and 11 the neck 4-4 and in the direction of vreadily be translated into the production of 06 thereof. The neck is hollow and is formed with an opening 12 in its upper face, so that a resonating chamber 13 is provided, it being understood that the body 10 is also preferably hollow andis also formed with an opening 14 in its upper face to provide a second resonating chamber 15. A partition 16 extends between the chambers 13 and 15, and may be formed with openings 17, so that the sound waves are free to travel from one chamber to the other, thus greatly enhancing the tonal qualities of the instrument. The body and neck taken together as a unit constitute an elongated resonator partitioned to contain connected chambers and adapted to support strings stretched over the upper surface thereof. v

Disposed one adjacent each end of the neck 11, are a pair of bridge members 18 and 19, respectively, for groups of strings 20,

each of which have one of their ends attached to anchoring pins 21, their opposite ends'being secured to tuning pegs 22, these pins and pegs being adjacent respectively tothe bridges 19 and 18. Arranged in substantiall v parallel rows adjacent the side edges of the neck 11, are series of guide pins 23, each of which is formed with an opening 24 for the passage of a string 25, and in the present embodiment it will be seen that one string is associated with each of the guide pins and has one of its ends conveniently attached to an anchoring pin 26, mounted on theside of the neck. The opposite end of each of these strings is inclined toward the central axis of the body and passes over a bridge 27 positioned adjacent the outer end of the body 10, and at a point beyond this bridge the string is attached to a tuning peg 28.

Thus it is obvious that an instrument is provided embracing two separate sets of strings so that two instruments are combined in a single body. The first of these instruments in the present embodiment is of the plectrum type and includes the groups of strings 20, while the second of the same may be played by means of a bow and embraces the strings 25.

In this latter connection it is of interest to note due to the fact that the openings 24 of all of the guide pins 23 are in a common plane, and further due to the fact that the strings are of different lengths and extend one from each of the pin openings downwardly to the bridge 27 that the degree of inclination of adjacent strings 25 is different from each other... Thus, a person using the instrument may conveniently support the same and produce chords by means of the plectrum instrument by which the strings 20 may be strummed or picked with the left hand, while a bow 29, manipulated by the right hand, may be brought to bear individually against each of the strings 25 and more particularly at that point thereof which lies between the guide pin carrying the same and the guide pm of the next adjacent string; it being noted, as brought out in Fig. 3, that each of the pins 23 serves not alone the purpose of supporting the string associated therewith, but also acts as a guide for the bow. Thus the melody may be carried by sustained notes, while the accompaniment is provided by the plectrum instrument and in the present instance, the range of melody capable of production on the sustained notes will be two octaves. In other words, the strings 25 are tuned to each sound a different full tone to provide a graduated scale so that upon each oflthem being vibrated, major tones will resu t.

Now, with a view of providing means serving to permit a production of half or minor tones by means of the strings 25, it will be seen that any suitable expedient may be resorted to, such as for example, the bridge 27 may rockingly carry a yoke 30 having a presser bar or rib 31 associated with its lower face. This presser bar is normally held out of contact with the strings 25, as for example by springs 32, each having one of their ends attached to the yoke member 30, there opposite ends being anchored to a fixed portion of the instrument. In the event that an operator desires to produce a minor tone, it will be obvious that the presser bar may be moved into contact with the strings, thus increasing the value of each of the same by a half tone.

Finally, in order to provide a system or method of performing on the instrument herewith depicted so that the playing of the same may readily be accomplished, aside from the fact that in such playing the user thereof unconsciously familiarizes himself with notation, it will be seen, as in Fig. 1, that each of the groups of strings 20, is preferably identified by a suitable reference mark 33, and each of the individual strings '25 of 'the second. instrument, is also identified by suitable marks 34.

Although it is not necessary to identify the strings in the manner aforementioned, it is preferred that some similar identification be utilized so that the playing of the instrument may be expeditiously mastered, it being noted that the present type of device is, as afore brought out, particularly intended for use by persons who have little, if any, musical training. Assuming that the present system of identification has been followed, it will be seen, reference being had to. Fig. 5, that a method of playing the instrument may be devised in that the music furnished for this instrument, although presenting a staff having notes appearing thereon, also has a set of identifying characters 3% for example above the staff, so that the player of the instrument by bowing the string identified by a character corresponding to that appearing adjacent the note which he is reading, will produce a proper tone. The correct manipulation of the accompanying instrument, i. e., the strings arranged in groups to provide harmonics, may be indicated by utilizing suitable identifying characters 33' below the staff, and thus it is obvious that. a player will have no difficulty in even initially perform ing on the instrument aside from the fact that by following this method, such a player will eventually become proficient in note reading.

From the foregoing it will be understood that in the present embodiment. of the invention there is provided a combined plectrum and bow instrument in -which no fingerboard is necessary, and in which, if a bow is utilized, the latter is properly guided. It will furthermore be understood that there is incorporated in this straight line instrument, a granuated scale and that the device preferably embraces a body and a neck therefor, each of which forms a portion common to two instruments.

Thus, it will be understood that all the objects of the invention are accomplished, ant since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scopethereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the tion herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invent-ion which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A stringed musical instrument, comprising a body and a neck, said neck being formed with a resonating chamber, means associated with said body for producing musical tones and means extending over said neck only for also producing musical tones.

2. A stringed musical instrument, comprising a body and a neck, said neck being formed with a resonating chamber, a group of strings terminatin at the opposite ends of said neck and a second group of strings mounted on and extending over said body.

3. A stringed musical instrument including a neck and a body, a pair of spaced bridges carried by said neck, strings passing over both said bridges and attached to said instrument at points adjacent to said bridges, a further bridge carried by said body, strings passing over and in contact with said bridge only and being attached to said neck, each of said last named strings being inclined ith respect to the next adjacent string, and means carried by said last named bridge for increasing the pitch of each of said last named strings.

4. A stringed musical instrument including a neck and a body, a bridge adjacent to each end of said neck, a series of strings on said neck extending between said bridges, a

pair of series of posts arranged in substan-' tially parallel relation along opposite sides of said neck, a bridge adjacent to the outer end of said body, and a pair of series of strings extending from said posts diagonally downwardly and toward the central axis of said body and over said body bridge.

5. A stringed musical instrument including a neck and a body, a bridge adjacent to each end of said neck, a series of strings on said neck extending between said bridges, a pair of series of posts arranged in substantially parallel relation along opposite sides of said neck, a bridge adjacent to the outer end of said body, and a pair of series of strings extending from said posts diagonally toward the central axis of said body and over said body bridge.

6. A stringed musical instrument including a neck and body, a bridge adjacent to each end of said neck, groups of strings arranged in chords extending between said bridges, a pair of series of posts arranged in substantially parallel relation along opposite sides of said neck adjacent to said body, a bridge adjacent to the outer end of said body, and a second group of strings comprising a string extending from each of said posts and inclined toward the central axis of said body and over said body bridge, said posts defining playing spaces for individual strings for a playing implement.

7. A stringed musical instrument including a neck and body, a bridge adjacent to each end of said neck, groups of strings arranged in chords extending between said bridges, a pair of series of posts arranged in substantially parallel relation along opposite sides of said neck adjacent to said body, a bridge adjacent to the outer end of said body, a second group of strings comprising a string extending from each of said posts and inclined toward the central axis of said body and over said body bridge, said posts defining playing spaces for individual strings for a playing implement, and means actuable to raise the tones of all the strings of said second group simultaneously.

8. A stringed musical instrument includ ing a hollow resonator, an inner partition member therein forming a pair of resonating chambers, said resonator being formed with a sound opening therein, a group of strings extending from above one of said chambers across said other chamber, and a second group of strings extending above said one chamber from one end thereof to points adjacent to the opposite end thereof.

9. A stringed musical instrument com-' prising an elongated structure including a hollow resonator, a transverse bridge mounted adjacent each end of said structure, an intermediate transverse bridge mounted between said end bridges, a set of strings extending from one of said end bridges to said intermediate bridge, and a second set of strings extending from the other said end bridge to securing means mounted along the sides of the structure, some of the strings of the second set being arranged to cross above some of the strings of the other set.

10. A stringed musical instrument comprising an elongated hollow resonator, a transverse bridge mounted adjacent to each end of said resonator, an intermediate transverse bridge mounted between said end bridges, all three bridges being substantially in the same plane, a row of spaced stringsupporting posts mounted adjacent each side edge of said resonator, the upper stringreceiving portions of said post-s being elevated above the plane of said bridges, a set of strings extending from one end bridge to said intermediate bridge, and a second set of strings extending from the other end bridge and engaged with said posts, some of said second set of strings passing above and across some of said first set of strings.

11. A stringed musical instrument comprising an elongated structure including a resonator, a set of strings for plucking supported by said structure and extending longitudinally thereof from points at one end of the structure to points intermediate the ends thereof, and a set of strings for bowing supported by said structure and extending from points at the opposite end thereof to points intermediate the ends'thereot, certain of the strings of one said set extending above and across certain of the strings of the other said set.

12. A stringed musical instrument including an elongated rigid structure comprising neck and body portions, a bridge adjacent to each end of one of said portions, a series of strings on said one portion extending between said bridges, a pair of series of posts arranged in substantially parallel relation alon opposite sides of said one portion, a third bridge adjacent to the remote end of said other portion, and a pair-of series of strings extending from said posts diagonaily toward the central axis of the instrument and over said third bridge.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN H. LARGE; 

